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Results for “ZEEMAN EFFECT”

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At least 19 records

Fermi surface and Berry phase analysis for Dirac nodal line semimetals: Cautionary tale from SrGa 2 and BaGa 2

A Berry phase of odd multiples of 𝜋 inferred from quantum oscillations (QOs) has often been treated as evidence for nontrivial reciprocal space topology. However, disentangling the Berry phase values from the Zeeman effect and the orbital magnetic moment is often challenging. In centrosymmetric compounds, the case is simpler as the orbital magnetic moment contribution is negligible. Although the Zeeman effect can be significant, it is usually overlooked in most studies of QOs in centrosymmetric compounds. Here, we present a detailed study on the nonmagnetic centrosymmetric SrGa 2 and BaGa 2 , which are predicted to be Dirac nodal line semimetals based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Evidence of the nontrivial topology is found in magnetotransport measurements. The Fermi surface topology and band structure are carefully studied through a combination of angle-dependent QOs, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES), and DFT calculations, where the nodal line is observed in the vicinity of the Fermi level. Strong de Haas–van Alphen fundamental oscillations associated with higher harmonics are observed in both compounds, which are well fitted by the Lifshitz-Kosevich (LK) formula. However, even with the inclusion of higher harmonics in the fitting, we found that the Berry phases cannot be unambiguously determined when the Zeeman effect is included. We revisit the LK formula and analyze the phenomena and outcomes that were associated with the Zeeman effect in previous studies. Our experimental results confirm that SrGa 2 and BaGa 2 are Dirac nodal line semimetals. Additionally, we highlight the often overlooked role of spin-damping terms in Berry phase analysis.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Experimental determination of energy-level structures of diamond silicon-vacancy centers in off-axis magnetic fields

Here, we report the development of an experimental approach to efficiently determine the energy level structure of an individual silicon vacancy (SiV) center in a magnetic field along an arbitrary direction. This approach uses two coupling rates (one each for the ground and the excited states) to characterize the combined effects of static strain and dynamic Jahn-Teller coupling and exploits the fact that orbital Zeeman effects vanish when the magnetic field is normal to the SiV axis. With an analytical expression for the energy level structure of the SiV under a transverse magnetic field, the two coupling rates can be directly derived from two measurements: one on the frequency separation between two spin-conserved transitions and the other on the coherent population trapping resonance of the SiV ground spin states. A detailed comparison between the numerical calculation and the experimental result on the dependence of the spin-conserved splitting on both the amplitude and direction of the magnetic field further reveals unequal orbital magnetic coupling for the ground and excited states, indicating that unequal orbital quenching factors are needed for an accurate description of the SiV energy level structure in a magnetic field.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

SU(4) symmetry breaking and induced superconductivity in graphene quantum Hall edges

In graphene, the approximate SU(4) symmetry associated with the spin and valley degrees of freedom in the quantum Hall (QH) regime is reflected in the fourfold degeneracy of graphene’s Landau levels (LLs). Interactions and the Zeeman effect break such approximate symmetry and lift the corresponding degeneracy of the LLs. We study how the breaking of the approximate SU(4) symmetry affects the properties of graphene’s QH edge modes located in proximity to a superconductor. We show how the lifting of the fourfold degeneracy qualitatively modifies the transport properties of the QH-superconductor heterojunction. For the zero LL, by placing the edge modes in proximity to a superconductor, it is, in principle, possible to realize a 1D topological superconductor supporting Majoranas in the presence of sufficiently strong Zeeman field. Here, we estimate the topological gap of such a topological superconductor and relate it to the properties of the QH-superconductor interface.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Adiabatic approximation and Aharonov-Casher bands in twisted homobilayer transition metal dichalcogenides

Topological flat moiré bands with nearly ideal quantum geometry have been identified in homobilayer transition metal dichalcogenide moiré superlattices, and are thought to be crucial for understanding the fractional Chern insulating states recently observed therein. Previous study proposed viewing the system using an adiabatic approximation that replaces the position dependence of the layer spinor with a nonuniform periodic effective magnetic field. When the local zero-point kinetic energy of this magnetic field cancels identically against that of an effective Zeeman energy, a Bloch-band version of Aharonov-Casher zero-energy modes, which we refer to as Aharonov-Casher band, emerges leading to ideal quantum geometry. Here, we critically examine the validity of the adiabatic approximation and identify the parameter regimes under which Aharonov-Casher bands emerge. We show that the adiabatic approximation is accurate for a wide range of parameters including those realized in experiments. Furthermore, we show that while the cancellation leading to the emergence of Aharonov-Casher bands is generally not possible beyond the leading Fourier harmonic, the leading harmonic is the dominant term in the Fourier expansions of the zero-point kinetic energy and Zeeman energy. Finally, the leading harmonic expansion accurately captures the trend of the bandwidth and quantum geometry, although it may fail to quantitatively reproduce more detailed information about the bands such as the Berry curvature distribution.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Double Quantum Dots with Quenched Charging Energy in PbTe Nanowires

Here, we investigate double quantum dots defined by electrostatic gating in semiconductor PbTe nanowire devices. We perform transport measurements to obtain charge stability diagrams distinguished by negligible separation between paired triple points and by the spin degeneracy of all transport resonances at zero magnetic field. We show a 4-fold splitting of high-bias stability diagram triangles in an applied magnetic field to illustrate the lifting of this spin degeneracy. We also identify patterns of narrow transport resonances in these high-bias triangles and discuss their possible physical origins. Our results represent a step toward the realization of PbTe-based spin qubits.

PbTe nanowire↗

Frequency shifts in the electron paramagnetic resonance spectrum of 39 K due to spin-exchange collisions with polarized 3 He and precise 3 He polarimetry

The Zeeman splittings and electron paramagnetic resonance frequencies of alkali-metal atoms are shifted in the presence of a polarized noble gas. For a spherical geometry, the shift is enhanced over what is expected classically by a dimensionless atomic parameter 𝜅 0 that is unique to each alkali-metal-atom–noble-gas pair. Here, we present a precise measurement of 𝜅 0 for the 39 K − 3 He system with a relative accuracy of better than 1%. A critical component of achieving subpercent accuracy involved characterizing the shape of our samples using both MRI and CT medical-imaging techniques. The parameter 𝜅 0 plays an important role in establishing the absolute polarization of 3 He in a variety of contexts, including polarized targets for electron-scattering experiments and MRI of the gas space of the lungs. Our measurement more than doubles the accuracy possible when using 𝜅 0 for polarimetry purposes. Just as important, the work presented here represents a direct measurement of 𝜅 0 for the 39 K − 3 He system; previous values for 𝜅 0 in the 39 K − 3 He system relied on a chain of measurements that were benchmarked by previous measurements of 𝜅 0 in the Rb- 3 He system.

Zeeman effect↗

Field-induced magnetization of δ -plutonium from density functional theory

Here, we present results from density functional theory (DFT) calculations of magnetization, induced by an external magnetic field, for δ-phase plutonium. The fully relativistic electronic structure accounts for Zeeman splitting effects through a Hamiltonian that couples the magnetic field to both spin and orbital magnetic moments. The electronic-structure model is further improved by an extension to DFT in terms of an orbital-orbital coupling via the conventional orbital-polarization method, as has routinely been done for plutonium. The response to the applied magnetic field is shown to be weak in the DFT model, with induced magnetic moments of the order of in magnetic fields up to 30 T. These results are in accord with recent assessments from x-ray magnetic circular dichroism measurements in magnetic field on δ-plutonium. Somewhat surprisingly, a model assuming δ-plutonium to be absent magnetic moments shows stronger response to an external static magnetic field than models allowing for antiferromagnetism or magnetic disorder.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Multi-delay coherence imaging spectroscopy optimized for ion temperature measurements in the divertor plasma of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator

A new coherence imaging spectroscopy (CIS) diagnostic optimized to measure the C 2+ impurity ion temperature T i spatial distribution in the divertor plasma of the W7-X stellarator is designed, tested, and validated. Using CIS to obtain T i in the edge of magnetically confined plasmas has historically been challenging because Doppler broadening and Zeeman splitting have comparable effects on the shape of spectral emission lines. To distinguish between these two mechanisms, a novel approach to birefringent crystal design is employed to minimize the diagnostic’s sensitivity to Zeeman splitting. The recently developed pixelated multi-delay CIS approach is also used to obtain four times as much spectral information as traditional CIS approaches. The T i -optimized CIS diagnostic is validated in a long-pulse W7-X plasma by comparison with a high-resolution spectrometer whose sightlines overlap with the CIS field of view. The CIS and spectrometer T i profiles have the same shape and agree to within 10% on average and 25% in the worst case. Images of the T i distribution near the divertor show toroidally elongated bands aligned with the magnetic field, with T i ranging between 10 and 40 eV.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

The CXSFIT spectral fitting code: Past, present and future

Magnetically confined plasma experiments generate a wealth of spectroscopic data. The first step toward extracting physical parameters is to fit a spectral model to the often complex spectra. The CXSFIT (Charge eXchange Spectroscopy FITting) spectral fitting code was originally developed for fitting charge exchange spectra on JET from the late 1980s onward and has been further developed over decades to keep up with the needs of the users. The primary use is to efficiently fit a large number of spectra with many constrained Gaussian spectral lines of which the physical parameters can be coupled in a user-friendly manner. More recent additions to the code include time-dependent couplings between parameters, flexible background subtraction, and a non-linear coupling scheme between fit parameters. The latter was a pre-requisite for implementing Zeeman and motional Stark effect multiplets in the library of spectral features. The ability to save and replay “fit recipes,” even when multiple iterations are required, has ensured the traceability of the results and is one of the keys to the longevity and success of the code. The code is also in use on other tokamaks (AUG, ST-40) and to fit data from other spectroscopic diagnostics on JET. In this paper, we document the current capabilities and philosophy behind the structure of the code, including some of the algorithms used to calculate spectral features numerically efficiently. We also provide an outline of how CXSFIT could be transferred into a framework that would be able to meet the spectral fitting requirements of future devices, such as ITER.

Delabie, Ephrem G.↗

Orbital-Dependent Coulomb Drag in Electron-Hole Bilayer Graphene Heterostructures

Here, we report Coulomb drag studies in an electron-hole bilayer graphene heterostructure in a magnetic field, where the orbital, spin, and valley degrees of freedom are lifted by the combined effects of exchange interaction, Zeeman energy, and a vertical displacement field. Our device enables the application of a large vertical displacement field across both layers. In addition to the well-established strong Coulomb drag between the Landau levels with an orbital quantum number 𝑁 = 0, we observe a Coulomb drag signal between the 𝑁 = 1 Landau levels under a suitable vertical displacement field. As the vertical displacement field increases further, the Coulomb drag signal between 𝑁 = 1 Landau levels weakens, and a Coulomb drag signal emerges between the 𝑁 = 0 and 𝑁 = 1 Landau levels. These findings suggest the important roles of the orbital index and the vertical displacement field in interlayer Coulomb interaction within the quantum Hall regime of coupled bilayer systems.

Landau levels↗

Anomalous conductivity due to relativistic Landau quantization

Here we use a recently developed kinetic model derived from the Dirac equation, in order to study electromagnetic wave propagation in superstrong magnetic fields, such as in magnetars, where relativistic Landau quantization is prominent. The leading contribution to the conductivity tensor in such a plasma is calculated. It is found that the electron Hall current has an anomalous contribution, in the quantum relativistic regime, where the effective particle energy has a significant contribution from the diamagnetic and Zeeman energy. As a result, a new quantum resonance frequency appears, and the dispersion relation for the left- and right-hand polarized modes are strongly modified for long and moderate wavelengths. The implications for magnetar physics are discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Refined Sensitivity Estimates for Single-Molecule Magnet Dark Matter Detectors

We revisit the sensitivity of Single Molecule Magnet (SMM) crystals as detectors for low-mass dark matter. In previous work, we established the concept of the ``magnetic bubble chamber'', where energy deposited by dark matter triggers a magnetic avalanche in a metastable crystal. The original sensitivity estimates relied on a conservative criterion requiring the spin relaxation time to be strictly shorter than the thermal diffusion time. Here, we demonstrate that this criterion effectively ignores the stochastic nature of spin relaxation. We derive a refined analytic estimate which accounts for the fraction of spins that relax even when diffusion is fast. We show that the Zeeman energy released by this fraction contributes to local heating, significantly lowering the energy threshold for avalanche formation. We present simulation results confirming this effect and report on experimental verification of the assumed low-temperature thermal properties of two representative SMM crystals, Mn$_{12}$-acetate and Mn$_{32}$. Together, these efforts extend this pathfinder program toward the realization of SMM-based detectors with controlled material properties and enhanced dark matter sensitivity.

Eberhardt, Andrew [Tokyo U., IPMU]↗

Heat conduction in magnetic insulators via hybridization of acoustic phonons and spin-flip excitations

We present a comprehensive study on the longitudinal magnetothermal transport in a paramagnetic effective spin-1/2 magnetic insulator CsYbSe 2 , by introducing a minimal model requiring only Zeeman splitting and magnetoelastic coupling. We use it to argue that hybridized excitations—formed from acoustic phonons and localized spin-flip-excitations across the Zeeman gap of the crystal electric field ground doublet—are responsible for a nonmonotonic field dependence of longitudinal thermal conductivity. Beyond highlighting a starring role for phonons, our results raise the prospect of universal magnetothermal transport phenomena in paramagnetic insulators that originate from simple features shared across many systems. Published by the American Physical Society 2025

Pocs, Christopher A.↗

A Measurement of Atmospheric Circular Polarization with POLARBEAR

At millimeter wavelengths, the atmospheric emission is circularly polarized owing to the Zeeman splitting of molecular oxygen by the Earth's magnetic field. We report a measurement of the signal in the 150 GHz band using 3 yr of observational data with the POLARBEAR project. Nonidealities of a continuously rotating half-wave plate (HWP) partially convert circularly polarized light to linearly polarized light. While POLARBEAR detectors are sensitive to linear polarization, this effect makes them sensitive to circular polarization. Although this was not the intended use, we utilized this conversion to measure circular polarization. We reconstruct the azimuthal gradient of the circular polarization signal and measure its dependency from the scanning direction and the detector bandpass. We compare the signal with a simulation based on atmospheric emission theory, the detector bandpass, and the HWP leakage spectrum model. We find the ratio of the observed azimuthal slope to the simulated slope is 0.92 ± 0.01(stat) ± 0.07(sys). This ratio corresponds to a brightness temperature of 3.8 mK at the effective band center of 121.8 GHz and bandwidth of 3.5 GHz estimated from representative detector bandpass and the spectrum of Zeeman emission. This result validates our understanding of the instrument and reinforces the feasibility of measuring the circular polarization using the imperfection of continuously rotating HWP. Continuously rotating HWP is popular in ongoing and future cosmic microwave background experiments to modulate the polarized signal. This work shows a method for signal extraction and leakage subtraction that can help measure circular polarization in such experiments.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Superconducting diode effect in two-dimensional topological insulator edges and Josephson junctions

The superconducting diode effect—the dependence of critical current on its direction—can arise from the simultaneous breaking of inversion and time-reversal symmetry in a superconductor and has gained interest for its potential applications in superconducting electronics. In this Letter, we study the effect in a two-dimensional topological insulator (2D TI) in both a uniform geometry as well as in a long Josephson junction. We show that in the presence of Zeeman fields, a circulating edge current enables a large non-reciprocity of the critical current. We find a maximum diode efficiency of 1 for the uniform 2D TI and (2−1)2≈0.17 for the long Josephson junction.

Physics↗

Electroweak Nuclear Properties from Single Molecular Ions in a Penning Trap

Here, we present a novel technique to probe electroweak nuclear properties by measuring parity violation (PV) in single molecular ions in a Penning trap. The trap’s strong magnetic field Zeeman shifts opposite-parity rotational and hyperfine molecular states into near degeneracy. The weak interaction-induced mixing between these degenerate states can be larger than in atoms by more than 12 orders of magnitude, thereby vastly amplifying PV effects. The single molecule sensitivity would be suitable for applications to nuclei across the nuclear chart, including rare and unstable nuclei.

electronic structure of atoms & molecules↗

Phonon dynamics in the chiral Kitaev spin liquid

Here, we investigate the effect of a magnetic field on the extended Kitaev spin-liquid state through phonon dynamics. Using a constrained fermionic self-consistent mean field method, we analyze the quantum spin liquid (QSL) ground state for the extended Kitaev model with both the Zeeman term and the perturbative three-spin interaction term 𝜅. Our results demonstrate the dependence of the stability of the Kitaev QSL state on the field direction, consistent with findings in the literature. Additionally, we calculate the phonon dynamics for acoustic phonons coupled to the Majorana fermion excitations of the Kitaev spin-liquid state, discussing the temperature and field evolution of these quantities.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗